Short Stirling & RAF Bomber Command Forum

Can anyone help me with two questions on this photo.
1, The chap in the bowler hat, who is he ? i know i should know his name but it's gone from me.
2, What type of aircraft is that ?

Alan.

is the a/c a vickers valentia?

Looks like John Curtin

Thanks for the answers. Vickers Valenia looks to be correct, same for John Curtin, but just wondering why an Aussie Prime Minister would have been visiting a W,Op/AG school early war years. The airmen 2nd from right is my interest, as his son has asked me to research his RAF service.

The lad in the bowler looks like Herbert Morrison to me.

Alan, from Australian records ............ "More than half a century earlier, in May 1944 John Curtin visited RAAF bomber squadrons based at Lincolnshire in England and watched the aircraft roar down the runway bound for Europe. As the bombers neared the coast of France he sent then a signal: 'Good luck - Curtin'.2 "

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct= ... GY&cad=rjt

Cheers,
John

Thanks John, that discounts it as being Curtin, as this photo was taken early 1940.

Alan, to me, the photo really does look like very early war period of say, around 1939 - 40.
I guess records may indicate the type aircraft used during that period to confirm it.
John

Solved.... it's Sir Kingsley Wood, Minister for Air, and also confirmed as Vickers Valentia.

Well done, Alan.